2015 Caulfield Cup Target for Royal Descent

Chris Waller has confirmed plans to take his classy mare Royal Descent to Melbourne for a spring campaign targeting October’s Caulfield Cup 2015 after her return to winning form in Sydney over the weekend.

Winner of the 2013 Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) two years ago, Redoute’s Choice six-year-old Royal Descent broke a lengthy winning drought at Rosehill on Saturday with her smart one and a half-length victory over Gai Waterhouse’s Doomben Cup champ Pornichet in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m).

It may have been a long time between drinks for Royal Descent, but she has been one of Waller’s most consistent horses over the past few seasons including her Doncaster Mile and Queen Elizabeth Stakes thirds during April this year.

Jockey Hugh Bowman was full of praise for the Warwick Stakes winner who he rode to victory first-up when speaking to Correct Weight on Sunday.

“It’s been a while since she’s won however, she’s been a model of consistency at the top level for her whole career really,” he said.

“It was a very deserved win and it was great to see her strike.”

Royal Descent ran fifth crossing one and three quarter lengths off the winner Fawkner in the 2013 Caulfield Cup and targets the world’s richest mile and a half handicap again this season, the $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) running on October 17.

Bowman believes she is a genuine Caulfield Cup hope this spring, and she could go into the classic on the back of a third straight run in the $500,000 Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) over the Randwick mile on September 19.

“The way she went yesterday, she might be worth taking down to Melbourne for one of those races at Caulfield – seven furlongs or a mile,” Bowman said.

“I just think there’s a few more options as far as Group 1s go, but obviously there’s also the George Main Stakes third-up, that’d be the most obvious target.

“(Chris has) got a few options with her and it’s just good to see her back in the manner that she is.

“It will be interesting to see how far she can go into the spring.

“It’s my understanding the long term goal is the Caulfield Cup – now whether that remains I’m not sure – I guess we’ll see how she continues through – but it would be a realistic goal I would’ve thought on yesterday’s run.”

Royal Descent was runner-up behind Streama in the 2013 George Main Stakes and was second in the same race again last September beaten by the fellow Waller-trained Sacred Falls.

In the latest pre-field Caulfield Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, led by Japan’s Fame Game and the New Zealand-trained Mongolian Khan on $13 each, Royal Descent is only rated a $41 outsider.

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